Labor force status of high school dropouts, by sex and race/ethnicity: October, selected years, 1980 through 2011

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]

Year, sex, and race/ethnicity

Number of dropouts (in thousands)

Percent of all dropouts

Percentage distribution of dropouts

Labor force participa-tion rate of dropouts1

Dropouts in civilian labor force2

Dropouts not in labor force (in thousands)

Employed

Unemployed (seeking employment)

Not in labor force

Number (in thousands)

Unemploy-ment rate

Total

Unemployed (seeking employment)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

All dropouts

1980

738

(44.0)

100.0

(†)

43.8

(2.97)

20.0

(2.37)

36.2

(2.87)

63.8

(2.87)

471

(35.2)

148

(19.5)

31.4

(3.44)

267

(26.5)

1985

610

(42.3)

100.0

(†)

43.5

(3.45)

24.0

(2.94)

32.5

(3.25)

67.5

(3.25)

412

(34.8)

147

(20.6)

35.6

(4.01)

198

(24.1)

1990

412

(36.0)

100.0

(†)

46.3

(4.37)

21.6

(3.57)

32.2

(4.09)

67.8

(4.09)

279

(29.7)

89

(16.6)

31.8

(4.90)

132

(20.4)

1995

604

(43.6)

100.0

(†)

47.7

(3.61)

20.0

(2.86)

32.3

(3.38)

67.7

(3.38)

409

(35.9)

121

(19.3)

29.6

(3.97)

195

(24.8)

2000

515

(28.5)

100.0

(†)

48.7

(2.77)

19.2

(3.01)

32.0

(2.59)

68.0

(2.59)

350

(23.5)

99

(17.2)

28.1

(4.16)

165

(16.2)

2005

407

(35.3)

100.0

(†)

38.3

(4.22)

18.9

(3.42)

42.8

(3.32)

57.2

(4.30)

233

(26.7)

77

(15.4)

32.9

(5.42)

174

(17.9)

2009

383

(34.3)

100.0

(†)

21.8

(3.69)

26.7

(3.98)

51.5

(3.46)

48.5

(4.47)

186

(23.9)

103

(17.8)

55.1

(6.42)

198

(19.0)

20103

340

(29.0)

100.0

(†)

30.9

(4.24)

23.0

(4.29)

46.1

(4.78)

53.9

(4.78)

183

(21.5)

78

(16.0)

42.7

(6.67)

157

(21.9)

20113

372

(33.4)

100.0

(†)

33.9

(4.09)

21.1

(4.18)

44.9

(4.78)

55.1

(4.78)

205

(24.2)

79

(15.9)

38.4

(6.26)

167

(24.5)

Male

1980

422

(32.5)

57.2

(2.89)

50.3

(3.86)

22.0

(3.20)

27.7

(3.45)

72.3

(3.45)

305

(27.7)

93

(15.3)

30.5

(4.18)

117

(17.1)

1985

319

(29.9)

52.3

(3.39)

50.8

(4.69)

30.6

(4.32)

18.6

(3.65)

81.4

(3.65)

260

(27.0)

98

(16.6)

37.6

(5.04)

59

(12.9)

1990

217

(25.6)

52.8

(4.27)

51.3

(5.89)

28.0

(5.29)

20.7

(4.77)

79.3

(4.77)

172

(22.8)

61

(13.5)

35.3

(6.32)

45

(11.6)

1995

339

(31.5)

56.2

(3.45)

52.8

(4.64)

21.3

(3.80)

26.0

(4.07)

74.0

(4.07)

251

(27.1)

72

(14.5)

28.7

(4.88)

88

(16.1)

2000

295

(29.3)

57.3

(3.73)

74.6

(4.34)

18.2

(3.85)

25.6

(4.35)

74.4

(4.35)

220

(25.3)

‡

(†)

24.5

(4.96)

76

(14.9)

2005

227

(25.9)

55.8

(4.24)

59.9

(5.61)

21.6

(4.71)

40.3

(5.61)

59.7

(5.61)

136

(20.1)

‡

(†)

35.9

(7.09)

91

(16.4)

2009

205

(24.6)

53.4

(4.39)

27.5

(5.37)

33.5

(5.68)

39.1

(5.88)

60.9

(5.88)

125

(19.2)

69

(14.3)

54.9

(7.68)

80

(15.4)

20103

179

(21.3)

52.7

(4.17)

25.9

(4.96)

17.2

(4.40)

56.9

(5.70)

43.1

(5.70)

77

(12.4)

‡

(†)

39.8

(8.62)

102

(17.2)

20113

204

(24.5)

54.7

(4.00)

42.1

(5.91)

16.0

!

(4.85)

41.8

(6.25)

58.2

(6.25)

118

(18.1)

‡

(†)

27.5

(7.53)

85

(17.4)

Female

1980

316

(27.0)

42.8

(2.77)

35.0

(4.08)

17.4

(3.24)

47.6

(4.28)

52.4

(4.28)

165

(19.6)

55

(11.3)

33.2

(5.57)

150

(18.7)

1985

291

(27.4)

47.7

(3.25)

35.5

(4.51)

16.8

(3.52)

47.8

(4.71)

52.2

(4.71)

152

(19.8)

49

(11.2)

32.1

(6.09)

139

(18.9)

1990

194

(23.2)

47.2

(4.10)

55.0

(5.94)

14.4

(4.19)

45.0

(5.94)

55.0

(5.94)

107

(17.2)

‡

(†)

26.1

(7.08)

87

(15.6)

1995

265

(26.6)

43.8

(3.31)

59.5

(4.95)

18.4

(3.91)

40.5

(4.95)

59.5

(4.95)

157

(20.6)

‡

(†)

30.9

(6.05)

107

(17.0)

2000

220

(24.3)

42.7

(3.58)

59.5

(5.43)

20.3

(4.45)

40.6

(5.43)

59.4

(5.43)

131

(18.8)

‡

(†)

34.2

(6.80)

90

(15.6)

2005

180

(22.4)

44.2

(4.11)

53.9

(6.20)

15.6

(4.51)

46.0

(6.20)

54.0

(6.20)

97

(16.4)

‡

(†)

28.8

(7.67)

83

(15.2)

2009

179

(22.3)

46.6

(4.25)

34.2

(5.92)

19.0

(4.90)

65.8

(5.92)

34.2

(5.92)

61

(13.0)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

117

(18.1)

20103

161

(19.3)

47.3

(4.17)

36.4

(6.46)

29.6

(7.15)

34.0

(6.82)

66.0

(6.82)

106

(17.0)

‡

(†)

44.8

(9.14)

‡

(†)

20113

169

(20.4)

45.3

(4.00)

24.1

(5.60)

27.3

(6.92)

48.7

(7.45)

51.3

(7.45)

87

(14.9)

‡

(†)

53.1

(9.84)

82

(17.0)

White

1980

489

(35.9)

66.2

(2.83)

50.3

(3.67)

18.0

(2.79)

31.7

(3.42)

68.3

(3.42)

334

(29.7)

88

(15.1)

26.3

(3.87)

155

(20.2)

1985

354

(32.3)

58.1

(3.43)

49.2

(4.56)

23.3

(3.82)

27.5

(4.07)

72.5

(4.07)

257

(27.5)

83

(15.4)

32.2

(4.95)

98

(16.9)

1990

242

(27.6)

58.8

(4.31)

75.0

(4.95)

18.7

(4.41)

25.0

(4.95)

75.0

(4.95)

181

(23.9)

‡

(†)

25.0

(5.65)

60

(13.8)

1995

316

(31.6)

52.3

(3.61)

69.9

(4.59)

18.3

(3.83)

30.1

(4.59)

69.9

(4.59)

221

(26.4)

‡

(†)

26.2

(5.21)

95

(17.3)

2000

288

(21.4)

55.9

(2.76)

76.6

(3.14)

16.5

(3.79)

23.4

(3.14)

76.6

(3.14)

221

(18.7)

‡

(†)

21.5

(4.79)

‡

(†)

2005

194

(24.4)

47.6

(4.34)

60.3

(6.16)

20.0

(5.05)

39.7

(6.16)

60.3

(6.16)

117

(18.9)

‡

(†)

33.2

(7.67)

77

(15.4)

2009

164

(22.5)

42.9

(4.43)

58.0

(6.74)

24.1

(5.87)

42.0

(6.74)

58.0

(6.74)

95

(17.1)

‡

(†)

41.5

(8.88)

69

(14.6)

20103

148

(18.9)

43.5

(4.57)

31.4

(6.58)

20.4

(5.46)

48.3

(6.82)

51.7

(6.82)

77

(13.6)

‡

(†)

39.4

(9.52)

71

(14.1)

20113

181

(25.3)

48.5

(4.76)

32.8

(5.71)

18.2

(5.05)

49.0

(6.21)

51.0

(6.21)

92

(15.9)

‡

(†)

35.7

(8.57)

88

(17.6)

Black

1980

141

(19.9)

19.1

(2.43)

49.3

(7.09)

28.4

(6.40)

50.7

(7.09)

49.3

(7.09)

69

(14.0)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

71

(14.2)

1985

130

(20.2)

21.4

(2.95)

52.5

(7.78)

22.7

(6.52)

47.5

(7.78)

52.5

(7.78)

68

(14.7)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

62

(14.0)

1990

82

(16.6)

19.9

(3.62)

66.1

(9.64)

35.2

(9.74)

33.9

(9.64)

66.1

(9.64)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

1995

104

(18.5)

17.2

(2.79)

59.2

(8.75)

25.8

!

(7.78)

40.8

(8.75)

59.2

(8.75)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

2000

106

(18.7)

20.6

(3.24)

52.2

(8.80)

25.5

!

(7.68)

47.8

(8.80)

52.2

(8.80)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

2005

108

(19.3)

26.5

(4.07)

26.5

(7.89)

16.0

!

(6.56)

57.5

(8.84)

42.5

(8.84)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

2009

77

(16.2)

20.0

(3.80)

‡

(†)

38.6

(10.33)

56.4

(10.53)

43.6

(10.53)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

20103

‡

(†)

18.7

(3.94)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

20113

‡

(†)

19.1

(3.77)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

Hispanic

1980

91

(18.9)

12.3

(2.41)

65.2

(09.94)

17.9

!

(8.00)

34.8

(9.94)

65.2

(9.94)

59

(15.3)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

1985

105

(18.2)

17.3

(2.72)

69.9

(7.95)

32.0

(8.09)

30.1

(7.95)

69.9

(7.95)

74

(15.2)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

1990

72

(15.6)

17.4

(3.44)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

1995

174

(23.8)

28.8

(3.34)

68.6

(6.40)

20.1

(5.52)

31.4

(6.40)

68.6

(6.40)

119

(19.7)

‡

(†)

29.3

(7.57)

‡

(†)

2000

101

(18.2)

19.6

(3.18)

61.1

(8.82)

22.2

!

(7.52)

38.9

(8.82)

61.1

(8.82)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

2005

86

(17.2)

21.1

(3.76)

45.1

(9.96)

66.1

(9.64)

35.2

(9.74)

33.9

(9.64)

66

9.6

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

2009

115

(19.9)

30.1

(4.35)

17.2

!

(6.53)

59.2

(8.75)

25.8

!

(7.78)

40.8

(8.75)

59

8.7

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

20103

93

(15.8)

27.3

(3.95)

33.9

(8.72)

52.2

(8.80)

25.5

!

(7.68)

47.8

(8.80)

52

8.8

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

20113

99

(17.4)

26.6

(4.14)

28.3

(7.34)

20.1

!

(6.43)

51.6

(8.76)

48.4

(8.76)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

‡

(†)

†Not applicable.

!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases for a reliable estimate).

1 The labor force participation rate is the percentage of persons who are either employed or seeking employment.

2 The labor force includes all employed persons plus those seeking employment. The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks.

3 Beginning in 2010, standard errors were computed using replicate weights, which produced more precise values than the methodology used in prior years.

NOTE: Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutional population. Data are for October of a given year. Dropouts are considered persons 16 to 24 years old who dropped out of school in the 12-month period ending in October of years shown. Includes dropouts from any grade, including a small number from elementary and middle schools. Percentages are only shown when the base is 75,000 or greater. Totals include race categories not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, selected years, 1980 through 2011. (This table was prepared October 2012.)